When the newest member of the department of orthopedic surgery,Ying Chi, MD, says, "We are definitely in the minority,” she isn’t speaking about her Chinese-American cultural heritage. She’s speaking about her gender.

"Orthopedic surgery is portrayed as a man’s field because of the power tools and the nature of the surgery, but I’ve only had great mentors who are encouraging and inspiring,” says Chi, who joined the department and UC Health Orthopedics and Sports Medicine in August 2010.

Chi graduated from Seattle’s University of Washington School of Medicine in 2004. In her class of 180 students, she was one of two women out of 15 students who chose to specialize in orthopedics. Upon completion of her general surgery residency at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, she went on to train at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, where she was the only female orthopedic resident.A hand and microsurgery fellowship then took her to the University of California, Irvine–Kaiser Permanente.

Across the board, orthopedic surgery is a demanding and competitive field. But with estimates of less than 10 percent of women choosing the specialty, Chi sees the shortage as an opportunity, not a disparity.

"A lot of the perception has changed, and it’s changed for the better,” she says.

But her hope is to inspire others to look at the field as gender neutral.

While UC Health chose her for her credentials, she says she chose UC due to the national reputation of the department’s chair, Peter Stern, MD, and the department’s exemplary team.

What Chi brings to the department, says Stern, is diversity, outstanding training and unlimited energy.

"She has in-depth expertise in the management of disorders of the hand and wrist, and has a ‘hands on’ approach to patient care. I feel quite fortunate to have recruited her to Cincinnati and I look forward to working with and learning from my new colleague,” he says.

Chi will divide her time between University Hospital and UC Health West Chester, working as a hand and microsurgeon.

Other Newcomers:

In addition to Chi, who is a hand specialist, two other new surgeons have joined the department of orthopedic surgery:Todd Kelley, MD, whose sub-specialty is total joint replacement and Jon Divine, MD, whose specialty is primary care/ sports medicine.

While Divine will divide his time between UC Health and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Chi and Kelley will see patients at most UC Health locations and at UC Health West Chester, where orthopedic services have been extended.